Mud Creek at Highway 1 scheduled to re-open July 20th

A different kind of opening day is drawing near as Highway 1 at Mud Creek is slated to re-open on July 20th after closing down in May 2017.

A major slide flowed heavy debris and dirt onto the highway which Caltrans says had been initiated following rainy weather.

The cost to make that portion of Highway 1 safe enough for drivers passing through stands at about $54 million.

Crews spent months clearing the dirt and debris from the roadway as well as providing additional maintenance to the scene.

Caltrans says crews were tasked with reconstructing a quarter of a mile of new roadway alignment and stabilizing material.

Doing so required crews to work during the day as a precautionary measure should any additional debris slide into the job site.

“Just a herculean effort trying to deliver this as quickly as possible,” says Caltrans Public Information Officer for District 5, Susana Cruz. “Our first target date was September so we were able to beat that by 2 months.”

Drivers intending on traveling Highway 1 at Mud Creek should anticipate one-way traffic control as work remains.

Caltrans says they wanted to make sure that portion of Highway 1 was open to ease some of the traveling pain the Summer can bring.

“It’s going to take a couple of years for all of this work to settle in,” Cruz says. “At least two winters and then we’ll see how things pan out.”

Caltrans and state representatives will have a ribbon cutting ceremony for Highway 1 at Mud Creek on July 20th at 11 am.